Alias?: None notedPension?: YesPortrait?: Cooper Collection, VHS CollectionsCollege?: UVM 60 (Med)Veterans Home?: Not Found
(If there are state digraphs above, this soldier spent some time in a state or national soldiers' home in that state after the war)

Revised Roster

enl 5/2/61, m/i, 2nd Sgt, Co. H, 1st Vt. Inf.; Served at Fortress Monroe and Newport News, Va., and was present in action at Big Bethel, 6/10/61, m/o 8/15/61; com Captain Co. I, 5th Vermont Regiment, 9/12/61 (9/16/61), pr Major 7/15/62, pr Lieut.-Col. 10/6/62. Pr. Col. 6/5/64. Was present in all the battles of his regiment, except Mine Run and Antietam, to 5/5/64; wdd, White Oak Swamp, in the right leg with shell, wdd, Wilderness, 5/5/64, lost left arm at the shoulder; mustered as Colonel, First Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps, 9/8/64; on special duty in Washington and elsewhere, 6/65. In command of the Post at Elmira, NY, 10/65; awaiting orders at Buffalo, NY, 12/65; Inspector-General on Staff of Brig.-Gen. Clinton B. Fiske at Nashville, Tenn., 3/66. Bvt. Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, for gallant service at the battle of the Wilderness, Va., 3/13/65. Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, State of Tennessee, with brevet rank, to 1/67; Major 44th USI, 1/22/67. Bvt. Lieut.-Col. USA, 3/2/67, for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of White Oak Swamp, Va. Bvt. Col. USA, 3/2/67, for gallant and meritorious services in the battle of the Wilderness, Va. On duty as Inspector-General on staff of Colonel and Brevet Brig.-Gen. C. C. Sibley, at Savannah, Macon and Atlanta, Ga., to 1869. Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, State of Georgia, to 4/28/70. Retired as Colonel USA, 4/28/70. Total active service nine years, lacking four days. Present in action at Big Bethel, Lee's Mills, Williamsburg, Golding's Farm, Savage's Station, and White Oak Swamp, Va., (wdd, right leg), Crampton's Gap, Md., Fredericksburg, Marye's Heights, Salem Heights, Second Fredericksburg, Va., Gettysburg[, Penn.,] and Funkstown, Md., battle of the Wilderness, Va.

Source: Revised Roster, p. 751.

Obituary

Gen. John R. Lewis, U.S.A.

Gen. John R. Lewis, United States Army, retired, one of the best-known men in the GAR and in army circles, died suddenly in Chicago on Thursday. At the outbreak of the civil war Gen. Lewis mustered a company of men known as the Fifth Vermont Volunteers and was commissioned, Captain. He was sent South and rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General. He took part in the battle of the Wilderness, where he lost an arm. In 1872 he retired from active service in the army and went South, settling in Atlanta. Taking up work there, he soon became identified with the public life of the city and was appointed Postmaster.

Recently he gave up life in the South and traveled in the West in search of health. He went to Chicago nine weeks ago. He was at that time ill and owing to his condition, but few of his friends knew of his presence in the city.

He was born in Edinburgh, Penn., in 1835. He leaves a wife, who, with a son, is in Dawson City, in the Klondike, where they have resided for two years. The other son is detailed at West Point as instructor.

The funeral will probably be held at Arlington Cemetery, Washington, although the exact place will not be determined until definite word is received from Lieut. Lewis.